WOW look at the SIZE of that seal! (photo added by Anthony, not NYT)
By SARAH PALIN
Published: January 5, 2008,
Juneau, Alaska
ABOUT the closest most Americans will ever get to a polar bear are those cute, cuddly animated images that smiled at us while dancing around, pitching soft drinks on TV and movie screens this holiday season.
This is unfortunate, because polar bears are magnificent animals, not cartoon characters. They are worthy of our utmost efforts to protect them and their Arctic habitat. But adding polar bears to the nation’s list of endangered species, as some are now proposing, should not be part of those efforts.
To help ensure that polar bears are around for centuries to come, Alaska (about a fifth of the world’s 25,000 polar bears roam in and around the state) has conducted research and worked closely with the federal government to protect them. We have a ban on most hunting — only Alaska Native subsistence families can hunt polar bears — and measures to protect denning areas and prevent harassment of the bears. We are also participating in international efforts aimed at preserving polar bear populations worldwide.
This month, the secretary of the interior is expected to rule on whether polar bears should be listed under the Endangered Species Act. I strongly believe that adding them to the list is the wrong move at this time. My decision is based on a comprehensive review by state wildlife officials of scientific information from a broad range of climate, ice and polar bear experts.
The Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental group, has argued that global warming and the reduction of polar ice severely threatens the bears’ habitat and their existence. In fact, there is insufficient evidence that polar bears are in danger of becoming extinct within the foreseeable future — the trigger for protection under the Endangered Species Act. And there is no evidence that polar bears are being mismanaged through existing international agreements and the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act.
The state takes very seriously its job of protecting polar bears and their habitat and is well aware of the problems caused by climate change. But we know our efforts will take more than protecting what we have — we must also learn what we don’t know. That’s why state biologists are studying the health of polar bear populations and their habitat.
As a result of these efforts, polar bears are more numerous now than they were 40 years ago. The polar bear population in the southern Beaufort Sea off Alaska’s North Slope has been relatively stable for 20 years, according to a federal analysis.
We’re not against protecting plants and animals under the Endangered Species Act. Alaska has supported listings of other species, like the Aleutian Canada goose. The law worked as it should — under its protection the population of the geese rebounded so much that they were taken off the list of endangered and threatened species in 2001.
Listing the goose — then taking it off — was based on science. The possible listing of a healthy species like the polar bear would be based on uncertain modeling of possible effects. This is simply not justified.
What is justified is worldwide concern over the proven effects of climate change.
The Center for Biological Diversity, which petitioned for the polar bear to be protected, wants the listing to force the government to either stop or severely limit any public or private action that produces, or even allows, the production of greenhouse gases. But the Endangered Species Act is not the correct tool to address climate change — the act itself actually prohibits any consideration of broader issues.
Such limits should be adopted through an open process in which environmental issues are weighed against economic and social needs, and where scientists debate and present information that policy makers need to make the best decisions.
Americans should become involved in the issue of climate change by offering suggestions for constructive action to their state governments. But listing the polar bear as threatened is the wrong way to get to the right answer.
concerning excessive concern for polar bears
If you ever met a polar bear
and he hadn’t had his lunch
the last sound to be heard from you
would be a hearty “crunch”.
Things are look up with Sarah Palin.
Well I will keep this short, I read about her talking sanely about polar bears and the Endangered Species Act.
I like her and I think she is a great V.P. choice for McCain.
Anthony,
I am surprised that you would post a picture of a Navy submarine destroying Polar Bear habitat.
Hmm– Sounds like she knows what she may be talking about… might be a good choice for VP….
Well Duh!
Again, this politician has guts, brains and an inquiring mind. Let’s hope she’s free to use those in the coming months. It’s about time a “common” person was in a position of power. We’ve spent too long in the clutches of those who’ve never dirtied their hands or broken a sweat doing honest work.
It appears the US may have a climate change skeptic for its next Vice President. In this interview
http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/sarah_palin_vp/2008/08/29/126139.html
she is asked about global warming. Her reply:
“A changing environment will affect Alaska more than any other state, because of our location. I’m not one though who would attribute it to being man-made. ”
If I were an American she’d have my vote!
Chris
What a Woman!!
Brains wrapped in a pleasing on the eyes package.
Move over governator – you’ve been replaced by Hockey Mom.
Just stay on message Governor Palin and kick some serious butt.
I may just watch the VP debate this year.
Thank you for reading my mind John Mccain. “RINO” McCain was not my first choice as candidate for the GOP, however, I decided that I would “hold my nose” and vote for him. The thought of “BO” being President of this great Country was a more repugnant option for me. I no longer will be holding my nose. McCain’s selection of Sarah Palin as GOP VP, has restored my faith in his judgement. Beside that, she will be the best looking VP we have ever had.
McCain, step aside. Palin for President. McCain for VP.
Three cheers for a woman with a healthy degree of commonsense.
She is a breath of fresh air and could possibly seal (pardon the pun) victory in this crazy climate change non-debate.
A looker with a big heart, five kids, and vision. What a combo !!
Well done McCain. You will win the White House.
Consider this –
It was a VP that got these US into the AGW mess. It might be a VP who gets us out.
She is also a proponent of State’s Rights or was at least thus so for Alaska.
FWIW, Palin majored in Journalism.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin
Consider this –
It was a VP that got these US into the AGW mess. It might be a VP who gets us out.
She is also a proponent of State’s Rights or was at least thus so for Alaska.
FWIW, Palin majored in Journalism.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin
If you have seen the picture of a drowning bear recently which was distributed with the “9 bears seen swimming in open ocean” news story, that is clearly another “cropped” picture of a bear who was clearly standing in shallow water.
I am tired of this propaganda.
Have you ever seen the documentary “In the land of the polar bears” by Nova. In this documentary, polar bears swim 85 miles to an island off the coast of Siberia to hunt 2,000 lb Walruses.
The scene showing a 500 lb polar bear wading his way into a herd of fifty 2,000 lb male Walruses with 2 foot long tusks is unbelievable. The bear finally attacks one of the smaller 1,500 lb Walruses and kills it and drags it away from the herd while the bigger ones are trying to attack the bear back. Nah, it was no contest for the giant Walruses against the bear.
They can swim 85 miles and then kill a giant Walrus 3 times their size with 2 foot long tusks no problem.
“McCain, step aside. Palin for President. McCain for VP.”
_____ I was thinking about this earlier, let’s hope she doesn’t become a distraction… I am tinkled pink about her though…
I believe that we have the first breath of fresh air this election season. Up until this point the political process has been so corrupt this cycle that I have refrained from watching any of the process. I have today watched more that the last month. I will now enjoy watching the liberals and the warmists jump through hoops to try to trip this very nice “Lady with a capitol L” . She judging from her past performance and what I have heard of her is very intelligent and has no fear and no skeleton in her closet. This just might get interesting. And to think she believes in real science.
Bill Derryberry
Funny, Palin sold the Alaska “State” jetliner on E-Bay when she took office. I wonder if Al Gore will rise to the occasion and fly commercial like the rest of us.
Governor’s jet to be sold on eBay
http://dwb.adn.com/front/story/8489684p-8383460c.html
I recognized her name, because I saw an interview by Glen Beck with her a while back.
This one about the prize of oil and on the politics of Alaskan oil production.
Is McCain preparing to make a u-turn on global warming and Cap and Trade?
Made listening to “climate skeptics”?
Buffoon:
“tinkled pink” about her?
I saw the Glen Beck video. She speaks very well – clear, direct, concrete and with a touch of humor.
Check the video out — it was earlier in the summer.
Go Sarah!!
I know they’re cute and cuddly
but this unwelcome fact:
if you meet a hungry polar bear
you’ll end up polar scat.
Bill Illis, “If you have seen the picture of a drowning bear recently which was distributed with the “9 bears seen swimming in open ocean” news story, that is clearly another “cropped” picture of a bear who was clearly standing in shallow water.”
If its the picture of the bear rearing away from chopper prop wash I agree….the water is dirty from the shallows close beneath. Also its rightly considered a sin to harrass wildlife. Well unless you need to cram a chopper into a polar bears life to create a shrill photo op.
I too am excited about Palin…in a very moderately wholesome way.
“but we know our efforts will take more than protecting what we have — we must also learn what we don’t know. That’s why state biologists are studying the health of polar bear populations and their habitat.”
I have a theory about polar bears… if they are in any danger, it’s almost certainly due to researchers drugging every single one of them on a very regular basis to “study their health”, a la the Simpsons on ‘the Island’.
I think those “Alaska Native subsistence families”, whatever that means, should be required to hunt with stone age tools. Since they don’t HAVE to be “Alaska Native subsistence families”, except by some warped sense of tradition. If they want to maintain tradition, then hunt with the tools used before modern technology came along.
I have a lot of family that lives in Alaska. My sister actually worked on Sarah Palin’s campaign for governor. In less than two years as governor, Ms. Palin has accomplished more positive things for the citizens of her state than most politicians do in decades. I wish my state had someone like her…
I don’t agree with her on every issue, but I respect her and trust that she has Alaskans (and now Americans) best interests at heart and will put them before special interests or entrenched political pressures.
I read an interview with her (maybe it was in Alaska magazine?) a while back and her parents/husband/older children give her a ton of support and help with the younger children… it’s great to see a dynamic woman in politics who is backed by a functional and cohesive family.
I like that her problem solving is pragmatic and that she evaluates and engages with people based on their merits rather than their party affiliation.
When it comes to science, she strikes me as a person with an inquiring mind who is eager to learn.
So, as a conservative/free-thinking/libertarian/environmentalist/
non-believer in AGW, I will now seriously consider voting for the McCain-Palin ticket!
If she and McCain are elected, the boys at the Department of Interior could be on the hot seat for putting polar bears on the watch list.
“These studies are meant to inform the US Fish and Wildlife Service about listing the polar bear as endangered. After careful examination, my co-authors and I were unable to find any references to works providing evidence that the forecasting methods used in the reports had been previously validated. In essence, they give no scientific basis for deciding one way or the other about the polar bear.”
http://www.informs.org/article.php?id=1383
Sarah Palin pushed to have this study done and is fighting in court to have polar bears taken off the watch list.